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Many people dream about
having their own home business in order
to escape the hassle of commuting, friction
with overbearing bosses and the stress
of the corporate workplace. In the good
old days, the ideal home business was
some kind of mail-order business. However,
in today's world an Internet-based business
offers the best way to gain flexibility
and economic independence. If you are
not sure how to go about it, take a look
at the following steps which all home
based entrepreneurs must take:
1.
Determine what you want to do
You know you want a business that is yours
and based in your own home but you may
not be sure what exactly you want to do.
No one can decide this for you. You must
pick an area of activity where you have
a bit of knowledge and most importantly,
a passion. After all, you are probably
leaving your day job because you were
not happy with what you are doing. Don't
pick another type of work that will be
a misery, rather pick something that you
enjoy doing.
For
example, if you are an avid athlete, maybe
you will want to sell sports supplies,
or some kind of information product concerned
with sports. When it comes to online selling
you have a choice: to sell a physical
item that can be shipped, or to sell an
electronic item such as an ebook or a
service, such as proofreading or editing.
Brainstorm and pick your area of interest
and then follow it up until your business
idea becomes clear.
2.
Set up your home workplace
If you want to work at home you will need
a separate area where you can work efficiently.
It doesn't have to be a large office,
but it has to be a place where you can
work without disturbance. Once you have
carved out your working area, you have
to equip it. The minimum is an up to date
computer with a good connection to the
Internet. You will probably need software
such as an html editor, an ftp program,
and an art or photo editing program such
as Adobe Photoshop. A good accounting
program will also be required once you
get rolling and the money starts flowing
in.
3.
Make sure that you have a back up income
Setting up a successful home business
is harder than it looks and harder than
the advertisements would have you believe.
In the first months you may not make any
money. Budget some money to cover the
initial period when sales are likely to
be zero or very low, and plan your first
year realistically so that you can survive
during the starting period.
4.
Pick a proper domain name and register
it at a reputable registrar
Your domain name is your brand name and
it will become your online identity. The
name should describe what you do and it
should be memorable. Another thing to
consider when deciding on a domain is
to try to include a search keyword that
your likely customers would use when finding
you.
Many
of great domain names are already taken.
The best way to find out is to go to one
of the reputable registrars such as Godaddy,
Yahoo or Directnic and put your idea into
the search box. You will find out if the
domain name is available and also find
alternatives. Don't be tempted by low
cost registrars that are not well known.
If they fold, then you could have trouble
maintaining your domain name.
5.
Find a reliable hosting service for your
business
As with the domain registration, choose
a hosting company that is well known and
that has good customer support. Check
to see if they have 24 hour phone service
or an online chat service. Pick up a hosting
package that has enough space for your
needs. Generally most websites only use
a small portion of the web space that
is offered. If you are not sure which
package to get, ask the sales departments
of a few of the leading hosting firms
to see what they offer.
6.
Design and Promote Your Website
Your website is your store-front. It is
your sales representative and it is your
business suit all in one! You can make
a good impression with a professionally
designed site, and whatever you invest
in a good design will be repaid later
on. So don't skimp on your website, have
it designed professionally or purchase
a striking web template and customize
it to fit your needs. But even the best
website can't bring you sales unless it
is promoted online. Advertise your site
with paid ads, through high search engine
place, by participating in online forums
and by distributing articles with a link
back to your site.
Follow
these six steps and you will be on your
way to fulfilling your dream of having
a home-based business.
"It's through curiosity and looking
at opportunities in new ways that we've
always mapped our path at Dell. There's
always an opportunity to make a difference."
Michael
Dell Quote
This article by David Bond may not be
reproduced online in part or whole. Copyright
© Woopidoo.com
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